Business: Starbucks Order-Ahead

We order ahead for everything else, why not coffee? In an effort to move towards a more digital future, Starbucks announced that it has begun testing an order-ahead app in 150 stores around Portland, OR. With the app, customers’ names will be printed onto a label (this way a barista can’t spell it wrong). According to Starbucks spokesperson Linda Mills, the app first asks customers to select the items and pickup location. It will give the approximated wait time before the order is placed. The order is made as soon as it is received. Customers can pay with their registered Starbucks Card. Mills described the app as “the fastest and easiest way to order and pay at Starbucks.”